Conventional diesel powered systems for engines, factories, and power plants produce emissions that contain a variety of pollutants. These pollutants may include, for example, particulate matter (e.g., soot), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and sulfur compounds. Due to heightened environmental concerns, engine exhaust emission standards have become increasingly stringent. In order to comply with emission standards, machine manufacturers have developed and implemented a variety of exhaust treatment components to reduce pollutants in exhaust gas prior to the exhaust gas being released into the atmosphere. The exhaust treatment components may include, for example, a diesel particulate filter, a selective catalytic reduction device, a diesel oxidation catalyst, a fuel-fired burner for regeneration of the diesel particulate filter, a muffler, and other similar components.
Frequently these exhaust treatment components, including their associated sensors and electronics, are mounted individually in an exhaust system within the available space using individual brackets. However, due to the increasing complexity and number of exhaust treatment components and the small amount of available space, mounting and interconnecting exhaust treatment components has proven difficult.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0156712 (the '712 publication) to Buhmann et al. discloses an exhaust gas treatment system for an internal combustion engine. The '712 publication discloses a basic housing and an add-on housing mounted thereon that is at least partially detachable. The basic housing contains at least one inlet pipe which can be connected to the exhaust system and leads into the basic housing. The basic housing also contains at least one outlet pipe which can be connected to the exhaust system and leads out of the basic housing. The basic housing further contains at least one SCR catalyst and at least one oxidizing catalytic converter. The add-on housing contains at least one particle separation device and at least one reducing agent feed mechanism.
Although the system of the '712 publication may have a detachable add-on housing, the '712 system may still be bulky and lack flexibility. Furthermore, accessing and maintaining the basic housing of the '712 system may be difficult. Additionally, locating several exhaust devices in a housing can create extremely high temperatures. The '712 system does not provide a method for cooling any electronics that may be associated with the '712 system, which could potentially lead to overheating and failure of the electronics.
The disclosed cooling device is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.